Mobile terminals are developed to provide wireless communication between users. As technology has advanced, mobile terminals now provide many additional features beyond simple telephone conversation. For example, mobile terminals are now able to provide additional functions such as an alarm, a Short Messaging Service (SMS), a Multimedia Message Service (MMS), E-mail, games, remote control of short range communication, an image capturing function using a mounted digital camera, a multimedia function for providing audio and video content, a scheduling function, and many more. With the plurality of features now provided, a mobile terminal has effectively become a necessity of daily life.
Mobile devices are also being adapted to be worn on the body. For example, several companies are developing smart watches, which are designed to be worn on the arm as a watch, and which provide many of the features typically associated with a mobile device, such as telephone, clock, and calendar programs. Many of these smart watches or wearable devices are designed to interface with a mobile device.
In the context of pets, many ‘virtual fence’ or pet tracking solutions are available. The pet tracking solutions typically include a GPS chip installed in a device attached to the pet, such as a collar. The collar also includes a communication unit that reports the pet's location to the user. Virtual fences use a collar capable of vibrating or applying an electric shock to the pet. The user sets up a perimeter for the virtual fence. When the pet moves to the edge of this perimeter, the device applies the vibration or shock to the pet in an attempt to inhibit the pet from moving beyond the perimeter which the user has set up.
However, these solutions, especially the virtual fence, can be considered inhumane. Deliberately shocking a pet can easily be considered an act of cruelty. This type of severe negative reinforcement is also not generally a good means of training a pet.